Our 20 Favorite Halloween Movies

Holiday movies. It seems that this is the only time of year we welcome the talents of teen and child actors in droves. At no other part of the year is one half of Hollywood's viled co-workers so welcomed. ("Never work with children or animals." W.C. Fields) The holiday season is a time where the family can go to the cinema together and enjoy rather wholesome delights at the cineplex. Halloween is the first of said holiday season and we take a look at twenty of our favorite films to watch under the Hunter's moon.

A specific caveat must be mentioned with this list. We're not fans of the horror genre. That being said, it eliminates what many people consider to be staples in the Halloween movie collection, like the film Halloween itself or any slasher/gore flick for that matter. We derive our list more from the former mention of family-friendly films. However, our list isn't all Disney-fied or happy go lucky. There are some films that skew the lines between horror, comedy and thriller. Enjoy!

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - Summer's Send-Off

Happy Labor Day Weekend!! For this final soiree of summer we've put together a little something to send it off into the sunset. Cast the memories of Summer 2011 off to sea with song. The Foo, Pearl Jam & The Smashing Pumpkins kick it off with a rock and roll flavor. The Doors live, Joe Walsh and Wilson Pickett help the elder crowd faintly remember summers of yore. Ratatat & then Redman, backed by Reverend Al Green, help get the party back to recent times.

A DJ Mei-Wun mash-up of Nelly & Lynyrd Skynyrd, old-school Warren G, & a drop from Lil Wayne's last mixtape give the mix a 'lil mo flava'. Summer kicks from Gaga and Kid Rock bring the party into full swing ready to hit the dancefloor.

Enter DJ BC and his mash-up of Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott & Madonna, Alexander Robotnick's "Problèmes d'Amour" from A-Trak's '09 Infinity+1, and mash-up stars Loo & Placido's "Superstar". Follow that with Mike Posner's club hit "Cooler than Me", Cheekyboy, and another club hit in 2 Eivissa & David Tavare's "Hot Summer Night". 

Wrap it all up in a neat Love Rollercoaster care of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and place a timeless classic in The Doors' "Summer's Almost Gone" and you have yourself our very own Es Digga Tee's latest, "Summer's Send-Off."

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - One More Again

Inspired by cricket-filled twilight nights and cool dawns, this is our tribute to Summer's fleeting moments. Our penultimate summer mix provides a banging backdrop from one last summer poolside party!

This mix is filled with mash-ups of iconic songs and some of today's best with yesterday's jams to keep it rolling along smoothly. So turn up the volume, and jam out by yourself, with your boo, or a houseful of friends it's time to get down "ONE MORE AGAIN".

Another mix brought to you by the kind folks at Expect Odd Things!

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - Pick In Hand, Distortion On

Amp on. Volume Up. Pick In Hand. Distortion On. Ready to Rock? Good!

Get ready to rock out to three hours of guitar riffs, unforgettable licks, and bevy of chorus that beg you to sing-a-long. We primarily stick with the 70's & 80's bands with an occasional dip back to the late-60's or the one random 2010 drop-in. Bands like Dokken, Cinderella, ZZ Top, Styper, Scorpions, Great White, W.A.S.P. & AC/DC grace this rockin' set.

Another mix brought to you by the kind folks at Expect Odd Things.

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - Lights Off, Volume Up

Here is our take on a two-hour electro-house/trance set featuring the likes of Tiesto, Benassi, Oakenfold, Kaskade, Afrojack, Deadmau5 and many more of your favorite electronic artists. It's entitled "Lights Out, Volume Up," because we just got our DJ's lights in and we wanted something to pump and make the lights dance in the darkness of night. We suggest you do the same and dance in your own world to monitor light or bust out your decades old strobe light and have a party of your own.

This mix was made especially for the poi-spinners, hula-hoopers and flameologists out there. Throw this mix on as you practice or perform tossing fire in the air for all to awe at. Enjoy the beats!

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - Maiden Voyage at McNinney's

A mix created in celebration of Mr. McNinney's housewarming party. The Maiden Voyage at McNinney's will provide the perfect backdrop to get inebriated, intoxicated, hammered and otherwise just generally fucked up. 

We've favored Robin Skouteris & Mark Ronson heavily as well as a trio of songs from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals in addition to our usual smörgåsbord of artists. 

Not McNinney? Than this will suffice any party from 2 - 2,000. Enjoy. 

Another mix brought to you by the kind folks here at Expect Odd Things.

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - FHS 10 Year Reunion Special

Here is a lower-quality version of our set from the Fredonia High School 10 Year Reunion in Western New York. Essentially a 101 on how to throw a party, this mix has 101 songs to rock your face off. Our very own DJ Digga busted out of the bedroom and into the scene with a six and a half  hour set. It starts fresh with cocktail tunes, mellows out for dinner time, picks back up with some instrumentals for post-dinner chatter, then finally drives home some unforgettable 90's classics.

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - Close Your Eyes, Feel the Sun

With the summer in full swing we'd figure that we'd piece together a nice lil diddy to throw on when you're out soaking up some rays. Here is our very own DJ Digga getting down on the one's and two's to bring us, "Close Your Eyes, Feel the Sun". Do just that as you listen to the soothing sounds of summer from Es Digga Tee. Enjoy.

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - Summer Starter Set

Here's a set of tunes to help kickoff the Summer this Memorial Day Weekend. We have everything from 80's classic to today's Top 40. Enjoy.

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - The For-Peace Band

On this week's mix we have a celebration of the rock band. Whether they be a two-piece (Black Keys), a three-piece (Jimi Hendrix Experience), the traditional four-piece (Van Halen), a five-piece band (The Rolling Stones), or more (Chicago) this five-hour mix is all about Rock 'n Roll!

SURFPUNX: The Mixes - Beastie's Beats Remixed

This Tuesday, May 3rd, the Beastie Boys are dropping their 8th studio album, Hot Sauce Committee Part 2. In honor of their latest release we've put together an All-Beastie mix on our favorite mix-site Mixcloud.com. 

Rather than travel down the traditional route and give you our favorite songs from Adrock, MCA & Mike D we've chosen instead to pick from our favorite remixes. You can purchase their latest album below via Amazon.com. 

Enjoy the weekend and bump the mix from our very own DJ Digga - Beastie's Beats Remixed.

Weed Wednesdays - 16:20 Don't Be Late!

Ladies and Gentlemen. I give to you. A one time return post to an oldie but a goodie, Weed Wednesdays...

This time around we have three-hour plus mix featuring the best Rap & Hip-Hop, Rock, Reggae, & Dance tracks that possibly are about the mysterious herb that celebrates a counter-culture holiday on this day. So without further ado, here is 16:20 Don't Be Late!

Mad-About-Music Monday - DJ Digga's Fused for Another

Every other Monday here at Expect Odd Things we've been unveiling new mixes that we've been putting together here at HQ. This mix was originally intended to burn to disc and sent out to friends. However, we have been compiling various styles of music and we'll be distributing the 1st Official Expect Odd Things Mixed Set within the coming months. Until then please enjoy "Fused for Another."

Tuesday Brewsday - Brew's Best 2011

Last spring we wrote a preview highlighting what to expect from the Inaugural 2010 Brew's Best Festival held at Lake Las Vegas, Nevada. We had an overwhelmingly good time last year, so much so that we never got around to producing any sort of follow up to that article. Well in case you were curious what the gathering and the surroundings look like we have your back with coverage from the 2011 Brew's Best Festival.

Mad About Music Mondays - DJ Digga's Mix 2.011

Here is the next installment of our presentation of SURFPUNX: The Mixes by our own DJ Digga a.k.a. Es Digga Tee. This time we have a mix that highlights some of what we've been listening to lately at Expect Odd Things Headquarters. Enjoy Mix 2.011!

Tuesday Brewsday - Stone Lukcy Basartd Ale

While we write about them often, it has been roughly one full year since writing about our favorite brewery, Stone Brewing Company. Since our last writing, Stone has released a couple new beers to the market. Some are apart of their ever-evolving collaboration series, some are the annual additions to their Anniversary and Vertical Epic series', others are special releases.

Stone has released SIX new beers in the last year (here are five of them): 

Collaboration Series: 

Stone/ 21st Amendment/ Firestone-Walker  El Camino (un)Real Black Ale

Stone/ Victory/ Dogfish Head  Saison du BUFF (Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor) 

Stone/ Kelsey McNair/ Ballast Point  San Diego County Session Ale

Anniversary Series:

Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial I.P.A. - a British-inspired I.P.A.

Vertical Epic Series:

10.10.10 - a grape-happy beer meant to be aged (preferably until at least  12.12.12)

SURF PUNX The Mixes: DJ Digga's Eclectic Energy

Welcome to a bi-weekly auditory feature here on Mad About Music Mondays highlighting some of the music we love to listen to and enjoy. First up we have your's truly tackling many styles in this week's mix. Contained within is a four-hour journey through what we believe is the necessary backing to a kick-ass good time.

Sit back, crank up the speakers and let your ears enjoy the melodic tones of
"Es Digga Tee - Eclectic Energy".

Free-For-All Fridays - ADBOWL® 2011

In little more than 48 hours most of the nation's attention will be drawn to FOX Sports and their presentation of Super Bowl XLV. While they broadcast live from Dallas, Texas at Dallas Cowboys Stadium, we will sit anxious as the countdown to kickoff gets shorter and shorter. Finally once the first kick is returned, they will immediately go to commercial. If you didn't realize it, in the course of the average five-hour Super Bowl broadcast there is only about 14 minutes of actual gameplay. The rest of that time is filled by the team of Joe Buck and Troy Aikman & the unforgettable Super Bowl commercials. And that's when the real games begin, the commerce games dubbed ADBOWL® 11.

Transient Thursday - Spencer G.'s Look at Life Through Quotations

I love to read quotations from various sources. I've decided to take twenty quotations and put them together in this write-up. The main focus is life. Take the time to read each quote and enjoy them for yourself.

Weird Wednesdays - Honey I'm Home from Las Vegas

For many of you a trip to our home of Las Vegas is filled with benders on the craps tables, over-indulgent nightclub tabs, and a few strangers that might have followed you back to your hotel room for the night. That's all fun and games while you're here but if you have a spouse or a significant other to return home to you may have some issues explaining some of your extravagant expenditures.

Tuesday Brewsday - Super Bowl Beers (not Bud, Miller, or Coors!)

The Super Bowl is considered by many to be a de-facto holiday in American culture. Each year on this special Sunday we gather our favorite snacks, rally our closest friends, dawn our team's colors, and cheer and holler at the TV together for one last time for a team we usually despise. More often than not, accompanying your snacks in each of your close friend's hands is a beer. Many people try, but Super Bowl Sunday is generally not a day for umbrella-laden cocktails or one to be uncorking and decanting bottles of wine. No, no. On this day; and virtually ever other day a sporting event falls on, save for the Kentucky Derby; beer is the celebrated beverage of choice. (Really though, a mint julep?)

This year instead of picking up a 36'er of bland Bud Light or even a six-pack of Corona with lime, how about you truly support your temporary team and pick a beer from their home state or even better, if you can find it, a beer from their home city.

Mad About Music Monday - Norah Jones' ... Featuring

If you recall, a while back we told you about the trip-hop beginnings of jazz's virtuoso Norah Jones. She began her music career in New York City's Wax Poetic (as we wrote about in Oct. '10) and those groovy beats from her past definitely resurface in this week's Mad About Music post about her latest album.

To attempt to peg her style is next to impossible. Jazz? Folk? Rock? Country? Trip-Hop? Ms. Jones displays of these styles in a compilation of songs recorded between 2001 and 2010 entitled,  ... Featuring.